Harry Potter, Savior-of-the-World
by BeckyLadiye
Summary: He made a promise to take care of their loved ones before he joined her in death. The only problem is she was the one he loved the most, so he makes a decision to go back and try to save her, too. If he ends the war early in the process, well, who was he to complain? AU/DH, Time Travel, Harry/Fleur
1. Prologue

Prologue

A/N: This story will be Harry/Fleur eventually. There is a lot that has to happen to get to that point but this story is a romance at its core. It will also have a few cliche elements like time travel and veela mating but I hope I can do them in a fresh, tasteful way that does not too closely resemble any other story out there.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry - Headmaster's Office

July 31st, 2064

He stared at the shiny instrument resting on his desk, the bright gold and platinum hourglass gleaming in the late afternoon sunlight filtering through the wavy glass panes of the large picture window behind him. It was his masterwork, a piece so complex he doubted anyone would be able to recreate it, even with the detailed notes he had made over the years. He spared a fleeting glance for the box full of cheap muggle notebooks on the floor beside his desk and smiled. He had developed his own version of shorthand early in his research, ever paranoid that someone would realize just what he was up to and try to stop him.

Time Travel had been outlawed by the ministry more than thirty years ago after a healer trainee at St. Mungo's using a time turner had suffered a psychotic break resulting in three deaths and three new residents of the Janus Thickey ward. The Department of Mysteries had been ordered to place the Time Room and all the research it contained under the Fidelus Charm with the Head Unspeakable as secret keeper. Two years later, the Head Unspeakable had left his position to become the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He had never regretted that decision though he sometimes felt a little guilty for not giving up the secrets of the Time Room to his sucessor.

With a trembling hand, he reached out to touch the six inch tall hourglass. It was warm to the touch and it vibrated from the power contained in the pile of tiny rune covered gemstones inside. After seventy years of trying to make the Wizarding world a better place, he was content with the legacy he would be leaving behind. It was a shame he planned on unravelling every good thing he had ever done to rewrite history. He was not foolish enough to believe going back could guarantee a better result but he knew without a shadow of doubt that he would succeed in the most important task of all. He would save his soulmate.

HJPHJPHJPHJPHJPHJP

French Ministry of Magic

May 5th 1999

"Fuck this, Fleur. Don't you die on me," Harry shouted, cradling the love of his life in his arms. He moaned and rocked her, knowing it was too late to use the emergency portkey to the hospital wing. It had been too late when Pettigrew cursed her from behind a split second before Harry rammed Gryffindor's sword through Tom Riddle's heart. Her blood spread across his knees from the gaping wound in her back that he knew no spell could close. It had become a favorite of the Deatheaters in the last few months, a bastardized version of Snape's Septumsempra curse. Ron had lost his leg when the same curse had hit him just below the knee during a pitched battle at Beauxbatons last month and he was still recovering.

"This...my own fault. No blame for you, beloved," she wheezed softly as she spoke, a sure sign that her lungs were damaged. A cough speckled her lips and his face with blood as he leaned close enough to hear her whispered words. His heart constricted and he bit back a scream of anguish. What good was saving the world when he lost his soul in the process?

"If only I had..." his words trailed off when she placed a finger on his lips.

"Non. If there is blame, it is equal. You and me, always together," she said, trying to smile through her pain.

"Always together, you and me. It took us too long to see the truth and now...oh god, Fleur. I cannot live without you, ma coeur," he said through tears. She grabbed at his shirt with surprisingly strong fingers and tried to growl at him, though it came out as more of a gurgle.

"You must. They need you," she managed to convey. He shook his head.

"My entire life has been about what THEY needed. What about what I need? I need you, dammit. Don't make me stay here without you, please," he begged, pressing his forehead to hers. Her mournful cry was like a shard of glass through his heart.

"I am...sorry, love. For Teddy, for Gaby. Just a little while, I promise, then you come...I will...be...waiting..." she trailed off and coughed again, more blood bubbling through her lips. Her hands fell from his shirt and she tensed in his arms, struggling for air. There were so many things he needed to tell her, but he did not want her to die worrying about the fate of their family.

"I will stay long enough to make things safe for our family. Then I will come for you, my love."


	2. Birthday Letters

Chapter One - Birthday Letters

A/N: I know there are a lot of questions left unanswered about the war in the first timeline. All I will say at this point is the first timeline follows canon until the Bill and Fleur's wedding in DH. After that, things get wild and crazy fast. I blame the plot bunnies. They've been procreating. I'll introduce you to the babies as soon as I have names for all of them. Furthermore, I am not a British native so do not flame me for my American style writing unless you are willing to be my beta-slave for the duration of this fic.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

Little Whinging, Surrey - 4 Privet Drive

July 31st, 1995

Harry woke gasping from a nightmare, the thin sheet covering his body damp with sweat and twisted around his legs. Lingering images of Voldemort's angry red eyes and Cedric's dead ones made him shudder. At least he had not screamed this time. Uncle Vernon would have been banging down his door if he had. He sat up and scrubbed at his face with his hands before a quiet hoot drew his attention to the white blob perched on the foot of the bed. He reached for his glasses.

"Hey, Hedwig," he said quietly as his owl come into focus. Another chorus of soft sounds drew his attention to the window sill, where four other owls sat with parcels attached to them. He felt a surge of joy that was almost immediately smothered by a sense of resentment. His friends had not been writing him this summer, despite his frequent requests for updates about what was going on in the Wizarding world. While he was glad they had not forgotten his birthday, he knew any letters among the parcels would not say anything important. He sighed and beckoned his owl. She had thick roll of parchment for him and a small, plainly wrapped box. Once she was unburdened, the snowy owl nipped gently at his fingers and he gently rubbed her head in thanks.

"I will get you a treat as soon as I get the rest of this lot unburdened," he told her, finally managing to smile. As if on cue, the other four birds swooped onto the bed, dropping their birthday tidings. He recognized Pig and Errol with appropriately sized parcels attached but the other two were unfamiliar barn owls. He assumed one of them was from Hermione since the parcel was both heavy and book shaped. The fourth only carried a bright green letter.

"Feel free to get a drink of water before you go. I'm sure none of you were told to wait for a reply," Harry said with a sigh. The first three did as he instructed but to his surprise, the fourth owl took up a perch in Hedwig's cage and tucked his head under his wing. Blinking back his surprise, Harry debated whether to look through his mail now or later breakfast. A glance out the window showed it was still early, so he got up long enough to get Hedwig a treat and turn on his light before he settled down to look through his mail.

He opened the usual fare first. Fudge and a short note from Mrs. Weasley was tucked in the same box as chocolate frogs and a letter talking about Quidditch from Ron. He was actually touched to see a packet of biscuits with Ginny's name on them. He was a bit disappointed not to have something from the twins, though.

The parcel from Hermione was indeed a book. _Seven Habits for Successful OWL Prep _was not exactly his cup of tea, but he would probably end up reading it anyway. He was getting an average of three or four hours of sleep a night due to the nightmares so he could use the distraction. Her letter was wordier than Ron's but just as uninformative. He grimaced and tossed it aside.

Pig's small parcel turned out to be from Sirius. That surprising fact told him more than either letter from his best friends. Sirius had been and was possibly still staying with the Weasley's. The resentment he had felt earlier blossomed into jealous anger. He suddenly understood how Ron had felt last year after the Goblet of Fire had spit out his name, though he was certain he came by his emotions honestly. Sirius was _his_ godfather for Merlin's sake! Why couldn't Sirius come visit _him_? Dumbledore always insisted this house was the safest place for Harry, surely it would be safe for Sirius as well.

_Cub,_

_Happy Birthday! I can't believe you are actually fifteen years old. So many years lost and now we're both stuck in our own versions of purgatory awaiting D's permission to do so much as sneeze. Sorry I have not written more, Harry. I am trying my best to get you out of there and here with me for the rest of the summer. We can have a party then._

_Love,_

_Padfoot_

_p.s. Moony says Happy Birthday, too._

Harry felt some of his anger melt away as he read the letter. Sirius had given him hope for getting out of here before September first. It was a small hope because Harry was well aware of Dumbledore's obsessive need to protect him from all manner of dangers, both real and imagined. Honestly, Harry would gladly risk an encounter with Death Eaters if it meant he could talk with someone; not just about current events, but about what had happened after the third task. The guilt and fear were eating away at him.

With a sigh, Harry turned his attention to the green letter. He was assuming the things Hedwig brought were from Dumbledore and he was wary of the contents. Granted the size of the parchment roll was promising but he was not holding his breath wishing the headmaster might actually be willing to part with information about what Voldemort was up to. To his surprise, the green letter turned out to be a card from Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour. The front was sky blue and had moving clouds and a stick figure riding a broom in and out of the drawing. He grinned, assuming Gabrielle had made the card.

_Harry,_

_Bon Anniversaire! That is Happy Birthday in our language. Again, thank you for saving Gabrielle. I know Madame Maxime told us that she was never in any real danger, but you and I both know the clue implies that was not so. We hope this letter finds you well after the terrible events at the end of the school year. I am sorry for the lies in the Daily Prophet and please know I believe you about that evil man coming back._

_I have taken a summer job with Gringotts so I might see you later for a visit, perhaps when you go to get your school things? I apologize if that seems forward of me, but I do not know anyone in London aside from Bill Weasley. It would be nice to see a familiar face. I will ask Gaston, my owl, to wait for your reply. Gaby is visiting me and remind me that it is your birthday, so I thought you might enjoy a card from the two of us._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Fleur Delacour_

_Harry,_

_Bon Anniversaire! Merci beaucoup for saving me. I hope you like this card. I have made it for you et Fleur charmed it._

_Love,_

_Gabrielle_

Harry had to fight the urge to hug the card to his chest like a girl. Fleur spoke as if she was unaware of the information embargo on Privet Drive, giving him more news in that short note than he had received all summer from his best friends. It seemed the Daily Prophet did not believe his story about Voldemort returning. That was not a huge surprise given the Minister's attitude after the third task, but he had hoped Dumbledore could convince everyone of the danger.

Harry vaguely remembered agreeing to keep in touch with his fellow champions at the end of the year. None of them had come out of the third task unscathed and it had forged a bond of sorts between them. Even Victor Krum had dropped his scowling facade to apologize to both of them for his part in the disaster. Harry had been quick to tell the older seeker he should not take the blame for something he had done while under a curse. Fleur had then admonished Harry against shouldering the blame for Cedric's death. Harry had promised to try.

After one more look at the card, Harry put it carefully aside and opened the small box Hedwig had brought him. He was surprised to find a black crystal in a silver setting strung on a black leather cord. He twisted the crystal from side to side and thought he could make out something embedded inside the stone. Holding the pendant in one hand, he unrolled the parchment with his other. He was shocked to see what looked like computer printed words.

_Harry Potter,_

_No, this letter is not from Dumbledore. I must ask you to trust me for the moment when I say I am a friend. If you can do that, I promise to tell you anything you wish to know about the coming war with Tom Riddle. Unlike our esteemed headmaster, I know that keeping you in the dark is not the answer. The crystal is for protection against mind magic, most especially memory charms. It will also give you some weak protection against legilimancy. _

_Please read through the following pages. I have included copies of several articles from the Daily Prophet and the London Times. There is also an owl order form from Melton's Books and Baubles in Dublin. Please look over the selections I marked in the catalogue and feel free to order any of them. They will be charged to your Gringotts account but they are well worth the money, though I suggest you contact Gringotts this week to request a meeting with your account manager. I can make arrangements for you to visit Diagon Alley incognito if you wish it. _

_Why a bookshop in Ireland? Because Flourish and Blotts keeps detailed records of every book sold to Hogwarts students and reports to the headmaster. He will be alarmed if you suddenly show interest in learning magic beyond what is taught at school. I will explain why at a later date. It is not something to discuss in a letter, even if I am sure it is safe from interception. _

_Speaking of mail interception, I have modified the charm on Privet Drive that redirected mail from anyone not keyed into the wards. You will now receive your own bank statements, your Daily Prophet and Quibbler subscriptions and mail from friends you never knew you had. I had to rescue your card from the Delacour's before it ended up in Dumbledore's trash bin. _

_Now I know you must have questions . Just send Hedwig to H. P. Sothew and she will find me. If I do not hear from you before September 1st, I will contact you at Hogwarts. _

_Always,_

_A friend_

Harry read the letter through three times, torn between incredulity and cautious joy. A quick scan through the rest of the papers revealed what looked a photocopied, cut and paste montage of newspaper articles and a thin book catalogue. Just the thought of a Death Eater using a muggle copy machine or a computer made him chuckle as he began to read through the articles. It was even worse than he had expected, but at least Fleur had warned him.

According to the Prophet, he was an attention seeking nutter and Dumbledore was a senile old fool. He was shocked to read that Dumbledore had been asked to step down from his position on the Wizengamot. Harry was no politician, but he could read between the lines well enough to know that Fudge was behind all the negative press.

The articles from the London Times were mostly short blurbs about house fires and missing persons. His blood ran cold when he read about two families on the same street that had died the same night, all without a mark on their bodies. The paper wrote it off as carbon monoxide poisoning but Harry was certain Mr. H. P. Sothew had included the articles because those families had been killed by Death Eaters. Needing something to counter the dread curling in the pit of his stomach, he moved on to the book catalogue.

The thin pamphlet was magical, of course, and had an index of subjects. He scanned the list and saw a red check by the Mind Magic listing. He touched it with his finger and nothing happened. He reached under his pillow and pulled out his wand, tapping the page again with the tip of it. He watched with fascination as several selections slowly appeared on the following pages.

There were two highlighted with red ink at the top of the list: _Mastering Your Mind for Beginners _and _The Art of Occulmency_. A quick scan of the other titles told him that legilimancy was also considered mind magic. He tapped the title of one of the books and a short description made his mouth drop open. Could he really learn to read people's minds? More importantly, could just anyone read _his_ mind? He decided right then to order the two books Mr. Sothew suggested and one of the books about legilimancy as well.

By the time Harry heard his relatives moving around, he had fifteen books on his order form. Not all of them were serious, though. He had found two books on Quidditch that he had never heard about, one for himself and the other he would put aside for Ron's Christmas. He was torn between sending Hedwig off with the order form and sending a letter back to Mr. Sothew. He was also considering the advice that he contact Gringotts. He decided Mr. Sothew was his first priority so he would decide what to ask him while doing his morning chores and send off a letter at lunch. A quiet hoot from the owl cage reminded him that Fleur's owl was waiting as well. He dug out a piece of parchment and, with a glance at the letter from Mr. Sothew, a ballpoint pen.

_Fleur and Gabrielle,_

_Thank you for the card. It was just what I needed to brighten my day. It was the best gift I received. _

_Also, thank you for believing me. I have read some of the articles in the Prophet too. I suppose I should be used to the lies after all of Rita Skeeter's articles last year. So, a summer job at Gringotts? I would like to meet with you if I can get away from my relatives at some point this summer. I will see what I can do. I might be visiting Gringotts for business at some point so maybe we can get an ice cream at Fortesque's that day?_

_Thank you again for thinking of me, both of you._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Harry_

Harry grinned at the letter, pleased that his handwriting was not completely atrocious. He wondered if the Hogwart's teachers would let him use a muggle pen to do his homework? Shaking aside that thought, he tied the letter to Gaston's leg and sent the owl on his way. He was none to soon because Uncle Vernon chose that moment to pound on his door and demand he get downstairs and cook breakfast. He quickly changed his clothes and headed out of the room, mind racing as he tried to figure out who H. P. Sothew could be and why he was being so helpful. He would hold off on wearing the crystal pendant until he had more information about his mysterious benefactor.


	3. Meet Mr Sothew

Chapter Two - Paradox

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I will try to keep my updates between one and two weeks apart on this, but I have learned not to promise. I have six chapters written already and the ideas are coming fast and furious for this one, so I hope to keep it going strong.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

By lunchtime, Harry had a whole list of questions to ask Mr. Sothew starting with 'Who are you?' followed quickly by 'Why should I trust you?'. The next few questions had to do with mind magic and the pendant, followed by a query about the protections on the house and how Mr. Sothew seemed able to get around them. Finally, he asked 'Are you a Hogwarts professor?'. He had mentioned contacting Harry at Hogwarts so it seemed like a reasonable conclusion.

He sent off his reply just after lunch, having a few minutes to spare between cleaning up the kitchen and mowing the lawn. When he went back inside to shower before dinner, Aunt Petunia was on the phone complaining about something that had happened to her Duddydinkums. From the volume of her maternal cauterwaling, a stranger might think Dudley was lying on his death bed. Harry was not surprised to see Dudley in front of the TV, eating ice cream and completely unconcerned by whatever calamity had befallen him.

He expected Hedwig to take at least a day to get back so he was surprised to find her back in his room after his shower, a reply tied to her leg. He decided to emulate Dudley for once and dipped into his stash of Weasley treats before supper as he sat down to read his letter.

_Harry,_

_I am an old family friend of the Potters. I have been away for a very long time and have just returned recently. As for why you should trust me, it ties into your question about the wards on Privet Drive. If I wanted to hurt you, the wards would have repelled me. As for making changes, I am fairly familiar with Dumbledore's ward schemes and was able to tweak them without tearing them apart. That is one of the reasons I suggested the books on runes and warding. I think you will enjoy that kind of work. Runes are also used for enchanting things, like brooms. _

_As for mind magic, occulmency is the art of shielding your mind from external invasion, which includes memory charms and legilimancy. There are three legilimens you need to be concerned about. The first is Voldemort, second is Severus Snape and the last is Dumbledore. The first two would not hesitate to pry into your thoughts and the last would do so on any occasion he thought it was for your own good. Which translates to anytime, anywhere. The pendant can help shield your thoughts while you are learning. It will warm up if someone casts legilimens on you. As for the rest, get a couple of the books and read them. You can teach yourself the basics easily enough and I will help you when I can._

_Yes, if everything goes according to plan, I will be teaching at Hogwarts in the fall. There are still a few obstacles in my way but I hope to be clear of them before September 1st. I do ask that you refrain from mentioning our correspondence to Dumbledore. I have a feeling he would be reluctant to accept my application if he knew I was interfering in his master plan. In exchange for that favor, I will tell you what the headmaster has been hiding from you about that connection between you and Voldemort._

_Always,_

_HPS_

_p.s. If you contact Gringotts, be sure to address your request to Snapshot so it is not misdirected._

Harry sat for a long time, savoring his fudge as he considered his options. He popped the last morsel into his mouth and grabbed the black crystal pendant from the desk. As soon as he pulled it over his head, there was a prickling along his scalp and a twinge from his scar. The twinge was not painful. In fact, he was abruptly aware of the complete silence between his ears. He had never really noticed the low buzz of static until it was gone, but it was like someone had switched off an untuned radio in his head.

"So far, so good," he murmured to Hedwig. The snowy owl hooted softly in encouragement and mantled her wings before pecking at the parchment. He grinned. "So you think I should send a letter to Gringotts, girl? Mr. Sothew has mentioned it twice now so I'm curious."

At Hedwig's bobbing agreement, Harry drew out another piece of blank parchment and his ballpoint pen. He wrote a short note requesting a meeting with his account manager as soon as possible and rolled it neatly. He addressed the outside to Snapshot, Gringotts Bank, London and Hedwig stuck out her leg immediately. He tied on the note and then reached for the bookshop order form. He quickly marked the first rune book Mr. Sothew had suggested, _Elementary Runes and What to Do With Them,_ and then rolled it up before attaching it as well.

"Eager for more exercise, girl? First to Gringotts, then to Melton's Books and Baubles in Ireland," he said with a sigh. She rubbed her beak against his cheek a few times in a comforting manner and then hopped off the desk and glided out the window. He knew it would be at least three days before he saw her again. He just hoped his meeting with Gringotts was not scheduled before she returned. He would need Mr. Sothew to arrange his trip to Diagon Alley.

"We are going out for dinner. There are leftovers in the fridge. Clean up after yourself," Aunt Petunia's shrill voice came from his doorway and by the time he looked up, she was already down the hall. Ten minutes later, he was alone in the house. He actually whooped and ran down the stairs, eager to have the house to himself for a few hours. A good meal and some telly sounded magnificent. His birthday package from the twins arrived that night as well, so he spent half an amusing hour sorting through a box of pranks. It might have been longer, but spending five minutes as a giant canary was unexpectedly fatiguing.

That night, Harry slept without dreams for the first time since the Third Task. He awoke refreshed and hopeful about the days to come. That was only soured slightly by the Daily Prophet delivery with yet another Harry Potter the Nutter article. He tossed it aside in favor of the Quibbler. The nefarious plot by the Ministry to hide all evidence of experimental crossbreeding between unicorns and crumple-horned snorkacks made for much better reading in his opinion.

He was surprised to find the house empty when he made his way downstairs. He had dismissed the lack of door pounding as either an oversight or maybe his uncle decided to call in sick because they had gotten back late. He had not heard them come in, come to think of it. A quick investigation in the kitchen told him nothing in the fridge had been touched and there was still half a chocolate cake under glass on the counter. Maybe they had gone out to breakfast as well.

Deciding to celebrate his good fortune, he had a bowl of cereal and then packed himself a generous lunch before he escaped from the house. It was hot out, but he would always rather be outdoors than stuck in Privet Drive, Dursleys or no Dursleys. He walked to the park and sat down on a swing with his lunch in his lap, kicking idly to create a warm breeze.

"Hey, um...Harry?"

Harry's head snapped up at the unexpected address. He blinked in confusion to see a vaguely familiar girl about his age standing at the edge of the playpark looking nervous.

"Uh, yeah?" he said cautiously, wondering who would be so brave as to address him in public. He figured she must remember him from primary school but all of his peers knew association with him would call down the wrath of Dudley and his gang. That stigma had stuck with him through the years and made for some rather lonely summers even though he was allowed to wander the neighborhood.

"Did you hear about Mark?" the girl asked hesitantly. He just looked at her blankly and she continued, looking less nervous and more like a cat in a dairy barn. "Mark Evans. Dud and Piers beat him up yesterday. The coppers are looking for them."

"Huh. Not the first time that's happened," Harry said bitterly. "Uncle Vernon will bluster him out of it like always."

"Not this time. They've a respectable witness this time, says my mum," the girl said, completely gleeful by now. "They took Mark to the hospital and made a report and everything. Was serious enough he's still there this morning."

"Wow," was all he said but his mind was racing. Suddenly the Dursley's disappearance was looking shady. It would be just like them to run off with Dudley rather than let him face a police interrogation. Putting a kid in the hospital would ensure that Vernon could not dismiss the incident as 'normal' behavior for a hormonal teenage boy. At least not to the satisfaction of the local bobbies.

"Yeah, wow. Hope he finally gets it. Know it was always pretty bad for you," the girl said, her voice growing soft towards the end. Harry blinked in surprise and she blushed deeply before hurrying away from him. He stared after her for a long moment and then shook his head as if to clear it. That had to be the first time since he was about six that any of the neighborhood kids had approached him deliberately without malicious intent. It was a surreal moment for him.

That surreal moment seemed to stretch out for days as he realized that his family had, in fact, done a runner. Harry found a pair of detectives on the doorstep when he returned to the house later that morning. After a half hour of questions, they left him alone with instructions to call if he heard from his relatives. He found it odd that they did not seem concerned they were leaving a 15 year old alone. He finally decided Dumbledore had something to do with it. The headmaster would have ducklings if he was relocated at this point.

Over the next two days, Harry began paying more attention to his surroundings whenever he left the house. Nearly inaudible footsteps where there were no people, footprints in the muddy patch under his bedroom window and the occasional sound of rustling cloth made him realize he must have at least one babysitter. Since they had not attacked him the minute he was off Privet Drive, he doubted they were Death Eaters. That left either ministry aurors or Dumbledore's people. He assumed it was the latter since the ministry had discounted the possibility that he, or anyone else in the magical community, was in danger.

Harry was enjoying his Dursley free days, taking perverse pleasure in doing his summer homework at the kitchen table. Not to mention finishing off the chocolate cake. One thing he could not fault his aunt for was baking. Fifteen years of catering to the Dursley men had made her into a regular Better Crocker. He was not concerned about the pantry, either. He knew where Aunt Petunia hid her mad money and it was all still there. He could go to the market once the fresh food was gone.

Everything changed on the morning of the third day when Hedwig returned with a spell shrunken package of books and a curt note from Snapshot the goblin inviting him to stop by Gringotts at his leisure. Harry decided to let Hedwig rest for a couple of days while he looked through his books, but she had other ideas. After a quick nap, she managed to get herself down the stairs to the kitchen table where Harry was reading through the occulmency book. She dropped a roll of blank parchment on the table in front of him. He blinked in surprise. That was the first time she had ever done that.

"You think I should write a letter, girl? Did you want to visit the Weasleys?" he asked carefully. She gave him what he had come to recognize as a baleful glare.

"Hermione?" he asked. She pecked his knuckle firmly and he shook his hand with a yelp.

"Mr. Sothew?" he asked desparately. She hooted this time and pushed the parchment forwards with her foot. He sighed in relief.

"Okay, okay. I just thought you'd want to rest, girl," he said soothingly. She hooted again and he moved to get a pen from his aunt's desk in the corner. Five minutes later, Hedwig was flying out the back door with a note to his mysterious benefactor. Harry immediately went back to his book, trying to figure out exactly how to meditate. It seemed to be the trick to clearing the mind before anything useful could be done in the process of building mental shields.

Harry was startled out of his first meditation attempt by a knock on the kitchen door. He frowned a little but stood up and peeked through the window beside the door to see who had come to call. He was surprised to see it was not a solicitor or a bobby coming to check on him. It was an elderly man in a pair of dark pants and a brightly colored shirt striped diagonally in every color of the rainbow and then some. Definitely a wizard, he thought. The most surprising thing of all was the large white owl on his shoulder.

"Hedwig!" he exclaimed to himself before he pulled open the door, staring up at the man in confusion. His face, through lined with age, was vaguely familiar. He was staring right back at Harry with a look of expectation on his face that slowly resolved into a brilliant, toothy grin.

"Hello, young Harry Potter. I am Mr. Sothew. Might I come in for a chat?"

Ten minutes later, Harry sat across from Mr. Sothew watching the man sip his tea. Hedwig was perched on the back of the chair between them, her head swiveling back and forth in a way that made Harry uneasy. She did not seem unhappy or worried, though, so he forced himself to focus on his guest.

"Well, Harry, I am happy to know Hermione's paradox theory was wrong. Or at least I've managed to delay it for the moment." The man's cheerful comments made Harry blink and sit up in shock.

"You know Hermione, sir?" he asked cautiously. He was worried that he had been too quick to put his trust in this man. Mr. Sothew just nodded and winked. Harry noticed that he had green eyes and they twinkled almost as much as Dumbledore's.

"Quite well as a matter of fact. Not to worry, though. I solemnly swear I mean no harm to you or anyone you care about. Quiet the opposite in fact," he said. Perhaps it was the echo of the old Mauraders pass code, but Harry felt himself relax. The older man continued to smile as he looked through the stack of books on the table, nodding.

"Good mix. Ah, you took my advice on the runes. You'll like those, I think. Hmm...already studying the occulmency? And you are wearing the pendant. Stupendous," he said approvingly. "Now, I suppose you have one hundred and one questions for me. The best place to start is usually the beginning, but in this case I think we should start at the end and work our way back. It will be less confusing, I think."

"Less confusing?" Harry asked incredulously as he tried to understand the cryptic statement. Mr. Sothew chuckled and reached down into the leather bag he had brought with him and placed a fancy hourglass on the table between them.

"I will be completely upfront with you about some things, Harry, and pray I do not trigger that paradox Hermione was so fond of warning me against. Do you know what this is?"

"It's an hourglass, sir," Harry said slowly, leaning over to inspect the glittering, multicolored sand inside the clear glass. It was almost mesmerizing and it reminded him of something else. Something that talk of Hermione and paradoxes brought to mind. "Bloody hell, is that a time turner?!"

"Hoped you would understand that part without prompting. Makes the rest of this explanation easier," the older man said with a sigh of relief.

"Those are regulated by the Ministry of Magic," Harry said cautiously. The man nodded.

"At this point in time, yes, they are. But when I come from, time travel is actually illegal," the man said with a satisfied smirk. Harry blinked.

"When you come from? Hermione...well, can't those things only travel a few hours?" Harry asked in confusion.

"The ones they give out to the public, yes. There are devices in the Time Room at the Ministry that can travel more than a few days in one direction or the other, but they are too dangerous to use. I made this one myself. It took a lifetime of research but I finally pulled it off," the man said with a smile that was somehow both proud and tired at the same time.

Harry looked at the man in awe. He couldn't imagine how smart someone would have to be to make something like a super time turner. It was something he thought Hermione might figure out and he narrowed his eyes.

"You mentioned Hermione. Did she help you with your research?" he asked suspiciously. The man grinned.

"In a way, though she would have thrown me in the Hogwarts dungeons if she knew exactly what I was up to. I never would have convinced her my idea was worth the risk. Too many unknowns with time travel. I stopped asking her for help when she began to suspect what I was up to. She is entirely too smart for her own good," the man said with a fond chuckle. Harry smiled faintly, somewhat relieved that he seemed to be close to Hermione but worried that whatever mission he was on was not Hermione approved.

"So, what, exactly, are you up to?" Harry asked cautiously.

"The politically correct answer is I have come to save as many lives as possible," the elderly man said, a sad smile on his wrinkled face.

"And the not-so-politically correct answer?"

"I have come to save one life. Everyone else is just icing on the cake," he said sincerely, looking over his cup of tea at Harry. The twinkle was gone from his green eyes, replaced by a haunted look that made Harry's own heart ache.

"Who?" Harry asked softly. Mr. Sothew shook his head.

"I will save that answer for later. I will not lie to you or withhold vital information, but that is not something you need to worry about for now. First thing we need to do is get you out from under Dumbledore's thumb. You needed him through the tournament but from here on out, you will be better off keeping him at arms length. I was afraid to interfere while he still had authority at the Ministry, but now his only official authority relates to Hogwarts."

"You hinted in your letters that Dumbledore was not to be trusted. That is one of the reasons I have a hard time trusting you. He has always been my biggest supporter. He even lost his job to defend me against the Ministry. He has a phoenix familiar, for Merlin's sake," Harry said, frustrated. Mr. Sothew sighed.

"Look, Harry, I am not saying Dumbledore is evil. He can be a powerful ally and he really does care about you. Dumbledore's problem is his need to control everything and his belief that he knows best for everyone. His favorite phrase is 'For the Greater Good'. Unfortunately that phrase should be amended to 'Willing to sacrifice anyone and anything for the Greater Good'. You included."

"That's mental. Dumbledore wouldn't do that!" Harry exclaimed, though he silently wondered why the man's comments made so much sense. Mr. Sothew grimaced.

"Harry, why do you think Dumbledore left you in the Tri-Wizard Tournament? Do you honestly think he could not come up with a loophole to get you out of that competition with your magic intact? You were bait."

"Was there a way to get me out of that competition?" Harry asked in surprise.

"The easiest way would have been for one of the tournament officials to declare a three way tie for first place between the three real champions. The cup would consider your contract fulfilled and expect the other three to compete in order to break the tie. Granted that might not have occurred to them at the time," the older man said thoughtfully. Harry frowned.

"The easiest way? That implies there was more than one way," he said incredulously.

"If they had simply read the rules, any number of possibilities could have been explored. As a last resort, the goblet could have been confunded again. Barty Crouch Junior could not compare to Dumbledore in knowledge or power, so it would follow the headmaster was perfectly capable to doing it himself."

"Okay, so I was bait, but I was willing to be bait to find out who put my name in. I wanted to know as badly as Dumbledore," Harry said quietly. Mr. Sothew shook his head.

"A noble sentiment, Harry, but you were not the only person in the line of fire."

"Cedric," Harry whispered painfully.

"Yes, Cedric. Please listen when I tell you his death was not your fault. He was killed on Voldemort's order, by a spineless coward who sold out his best friends for the promise of power." Mr. Sothew's voice crackled with anger as he spoke of Pettigrew. Harry's head whipped up.

"You know about Wormtail?" he asked in shock. Mr. Sothew nodded.

"Of course I do, Harry. Haven't you figured out who I am?" the man asked in exasperation. Then he shook his head in amusement and lifted his finger and traced his name into the air in glowing purple letters. H. P. Sothew. Harry glanced back at the man in shock. Not only had he done a trick similar to the one Tom Riddle had done back in second year, he had done it wandlessly. It took Harry a moment to look past that to hazard a guess.

"Your name is not really H. P. Sothew, right? What does the H and P stand for?" he asked curiously. The older man just raised an eyebrow at him, his green eyes twinkling madly. Green eyes! He had seen those same eyes often enough in the mirror.

"Are you one of my kids?" he squeaked in horror. Just the thought of sitting opposite one of his own children freaked him out. He was still too young to even think about a serious relationship, much less children. The older man shook his head. Harry's brow furrowed. If the man wasn't one of his children...

"You're me!"

At his words, the glowing purple letters expanded and filled in to read: Harry Potter, Savior-of-the-World. Harry took one more look at the older man before his eyes rolled back and he slid off his chair with a thump, out cold.


	4. Revelations

Chapter Three - Revelations

A/N: Many thanks for the favorites, follows and reviews. This chapter contains the obligatory visit to Gringotts. I will not be detailing a shopping spree. I do think Harry would be like any typical teenage boy deprived of even the most basic luxuries in his life, so he will be picking up a few things for himself - you just won't see them unless they show up in the context of the story.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

Harry came around to find himself tucked into a comfortable bed. That was the first sign that something was off. Then the memories returned and he shot up out of the bed, tumbling to the floor in a tangle of soft gold sheets. He caught himself on his hands and knees and groaned.

"Careful," a soft voice said from nearby. Harry's head came up and he scanned his blurry surroundings frantically. A tall, person shaped blur stepped forwards and offered his glasses. He shoved them on with a sigh of relief and sat back against the side of the bed. He was shocked to realize he was in his room on Privet Drive. At least, he thought it was his room. The Gryffindor banner was still tacked to the wall over the bed and Hedwig's cage was still sitting on the desk. The furnishings, however, were greatly changed.

"Thought you might appreciate an upgrade. Hope you don't mind," his older self said with a grin. Harry stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head.

"No, its great. Thanks," he said, meaning it. The room was now full of nice wooden furniture and there was a thick gold carpet on the floor. All of Dudley's junk was gone and his window had been enlarged and it had a window seat built in. The red velvet drapes were a nice touch.

"You're welcome. Now, do you have any pressing questions? You've been out for over an hour and I have an appointment at the Ministry at noon that I can't miss," the older man asked somewhat anxiously. Young Harry blinked and thought hard.

"You are really me from the future?"

"Yes."

"And you came back so you could save somebody, right? Obviously its not me, because you're still alive to come back. Will you tell me who now?" he asked cautiously. The old man frowned and shook his head.

"No. I have already made major changes to the timeline and I want to see where things go without more meddling. Don't worry, you'll figure it out soon enough," he said.

"Okay, I can deal with that. Did you have something to do with Dudley getting in trouble? Not that I mind having a Dursley free summer, but I am curious," young Harry asked. Older Harry's smile was one of satisfaction.

"I simply showed up at the right place, at the right time. Dudley will not get off lightly this time and neither will his parents. Running off with him and leaving another minor alone at home will not sit well with the muggle authorities. Vernon only has another week's vacation time to burn so I expect they will be home next week, though I imagine Dudley will stay elsewhere for the remainder of the summer."

"Thank you. Any amount of Dursley-free time is excellent," he said with a grin. He did not want to see the Dursley's hurt or killed, but he would be happy to see them face the consequences for their actions. He would not hesitate to call the police when and if they showed back up.

"My pleasure, I assure you. Now, I have to get going. I will be back tomorrow afternoon to take you to Diagon Alley. We can visit Gringotts and then we will have another chat before I bring you home," the older man said. Young Harry nodded and the older man turned on the spot and apparated with a soft pop. Harry blinked in surprise. He was certain Dumbledore had said no one could apparate into or out of Privet Drive.

HJPHJPHJPHJPHJP

"Only someone tied into the blood wards can apparate through them. Since you and I share the same blood, I can get in and out without trouble. It also saves me from having to stun and obliviate your Order guards every time I come for a visit."

"Order guards? I know someone's been watching out for me, but what's the Order?" Harry asked curiously. He and his alter ego were enjoying an early lunch before their trip to Diagon Alley so he was asking more questions.

"The Order of the Phoenix is Dumbledore's counter for Voldemort. They gather intelligence and fight where they can. They are mostly good people, though many of them think Dumbledore is infallible," the older Harry said with a snort.

"Can you tell me why you think so little of Dumbledore? I...I just do not understand what can be so bad about him," Harry said hesitantly. Older Harry laid a hand on his arm and leaned in.

"Like I said yesterday, he is not evil. He just thinks his way is the only way and he does not bother to consult with anyone before making decisions. He also guards information like a dragon guards his hoarde. If he had shared certain things with me, we could have shortened the war by more than a year."

Harry felt the blood drain from his face when his older self said the word war. People died in wars. He remembered older him's politically correct answer to why he came back. He wanted to save people.

"So you think the Order can defeat Voldemort earlier than in your time if you make Dumbledore tell them what he knows?" Harry asked slowly. Older Harry grimaced.

"Let me put it this way. Dumbledore knows the reason why Voldemort cannot be killed. Granted he still has doubts, but his suspicions are correct. He will wait over a year to act on those suspicions and even longer to share the truth with someone else."

"So he really is immortal?" Young Harry asked, horrified.

"No, he is not immortal. His soul is just really, really well protected. One of the things I plan to do is make sure all those protections are eliminated as quickly as possible. Preferably before all hell breaks loose and we have to sneak around like criminals while doing it. If nothing happens to accelerate the timeline, we should have almost two years before Voldemort completely subverts the Ministry."

"I'm surprised it took that long," young Harry said with a growl.

"Yes, well, Tom might be psychotic, but he knows how to play politics. Right now, a lot of the pure bloods are still neutral. If he tips his hand too soon, he would jeopardize his chance of coaxing them to his side."

"Is there any way to coax some of them to our side? Or at least to remain neutral until Voldemort is taken care of?"

"I am working on something that will help with public opinion. As much as I hate it, most of the general population of the wizarding world are sheep. They will believe what they are told until it is proven otherwise by a higher authority."

"What are you working on?" Young Harry was curious because of the smug expression on his elder self's face. He was expecting evasion from the man but got a pleasant surprise.

"We, my dear alter ego, are going to take over the Daily Prophet."

Harry gaped at the man for a moment and then grinned. He might not be as smart as Hermione, but he knew what a powerful media outlet the Prophet was. If they could be forced to print the truth, people might start to realize their world was in danger. Of course that might lead to mass hysteria.

"I can see the gears turning. I do not plan on bombarding the public with the unvarnished truth. I do not want to scare them. At least not yet. I want to ease them back into reality and then educate them. It will be a slow process, not unlike Voldemort's subversion of the ministry. Sometimes it pays to think like a Slytherin. Now, enough talk. Let's head to Diagon Alley."

"How are we going to get around the Order?"

"Easy. I will apparate us straight to my flat in Diagon Alley. The Order has strict instructions not to interfere with your day to day life unless you are in mortal peril. They will not know we are gone. Now, I know you have never apparated before, so just close your eyes and hold on to my arm. It is not a pleasant sensation, but you do get used to it."

HJPHJPHJPHJPHJP

Young Harry trotted behind his older self wearing a nice brown cloak with the hood up. As they passed Fortesque's, he wondered if Fleur was working today. He had forgotten about his suggestion they have ice cream when he visited the Alley. Things had been a little crazy the last few days.

"Do you think we could do some shopping on the way back?" Young Harry asked wistfully. Even if he could not visit with Fleur, it was so rare for him to get out of his usual summer prison so early.

"Maybe not today. I want to talk with you about a few more things and it will take a while. But you can stay at my place tonight and go exploring tomorrow, if you like," older Harry said casually. Young Harry grinned and his step lightened. They entered Gringotts and Mr. Sothew, as Harry decided to refer to him to avoid confusion, headed for the shortest line. It was actually pretty funny, knowing what the letters stood for. He was fairly certain the older man was poking fun at some moniker he had been stuck with in the future.

"My young friend has an open appointment with Snapshot," Mr. Sothew told the goblin once they made it to the front of the line. The goblin leaned over the desk to peer at Harry for a moment and then he beckoned one of his co-workers to escort them into a small conference room. Once they were alone, Mr. Sothew gave him a crash course in goblin etiquette.

"Be respectful but do not mince words. Get to the point quickly. If you have a question, word it as a polite request. Never demand answers from a goblin. Treat them as equals and they will be less...grouchy."

"What exactly do I need to ask?" Harry was not sure what this trip was supposed to accomplish.

"Tell them you were raised by muggles and did not know you were entitled to an accounting of your vaults. Emphasize the fact that you have never received a statement from them and mention the mail redirection charm. Once the dust settles, ask them about your parents' wills."

As Harry contemplated Mr. Sothew's advice, a goblin walked into the conference room carrying a black briefcase. He settled in the chair at the head of the table and looked directly at Harry.

"I am Snapshot, Senior Manager for the Potter account. What can I do for you, Lord Potter?" he asked in a deep voice that actually sounded pleasant. His expression was not exactly a smile, but it was neutral. Harry was a little surprised by the address of Lord Potter, but he remembered his older self's advice and nodded.

"I just recently found out I am entitled to an accounting of my vault. I have never gotten a statement due to a mail redirection charm I was not aware of until this week," he said. He watched as the goblin's expression darkened and he opened his briefcase and pulled out a piece of parchment. He tapped it several times before he looked back up.

"We show that you have visited Gringotts once a year, the first time on your eleventh birthday. We have also received several pieces of correspondence from you advising us on various changes to your account," Snapshot said, his voice a little less pleasant. Harry blinked.

"I can assure you, Mister Snapshot, the letter I sent you last week was the first time I have ever written to Gringotts," he said, confused. Snapshot waved his hand over the piece of parchment and it multiplied into four separate sheets. He handed three of them to Harry.

"Then explain these letters, Lord Potter," the goblin asked quietly. Harry looked at the first letter and his mouth dropped open as he read. It was a list of vaults that money was to be transferred to on a regular basis, dated July 31, 1991. The first request was understandable. It was listed as his Hogwart's tuition. The second was to authorize a 100 galleon decrease from 300 to 200 galleons in an ongoing monthly transfer to vault 809. The name on the vault was Petunia Evans. The last entry was a quarterly transfer of 500 galleons to vault 115 under the name of Albus Dumbledore. The parchment was signed with his name and next to the signature was a tiny smear of dark red that he thought might be blood.

He quickly glanced at the other parchments and saw that one requested an increase in the monthly transfer to his aunt's vault back to 300 galleons. That one was dated August 15, 1993. He growled softly as he realized the real reason the Dursley's had allowed him back after the incident with Aunt Marge. They were being paid off. The fact that they were receiving any money from his vaults made him want to hex something. All these years he had been told he was worthless and how the Dursley's were paying precious money for his upkeep. Evidently it was the other way around. How many of the broken toys in Dudley's second bedroom had been paid for with his own money?

The third parchment was even worse, in his opinion. It was a request to allow Albus Dumbledore full access to his family vault. The date on the letter was only three days old. Again, the parchment was signed with his name and a smear of blood. He held the parchments up.

"I did not send these letters," he gritted out. The goblin narrowed his eyes.

"The blood on these letters is genuine."

"Regardless, I did not knowingly sign or give my blood to seal these documents. I will take an oath on my magic to prove it, if I must," he stated forcefully. The goblin sat back, a flicker of surprise on his face that was quickly replaced by anger.

"If that is true, then we must investigate the possibility of fraud," the goblin said gravely. Harry nodded and shook the last letter.

"Has Headmaster Dumbledore been given access to my...family vault? Is that different from the vault I visited before?"

"We just sent a reply telling you...or whomever wrote the letter...that we require both parties to be present when granting that kind of access. I assume you do not wish to grant that access?"

"No, and if I have the authority I wish to stop paying off my aunt. I have never seen one sickle of that money over the years. I was forced to wear my cousin's cast offs and work from dawn to dusk to earn my keep. The money to the Headmaster needs to stop as well," Harry said darkly. Snapshot nodded with a sneer.

"We will investigate the matter and we will attempt to recover any money stolen from you, Lord Potter. As for the vaults, you have only visited your trust vault. Your family vault is larger and contains heirlooms as well as money. You have had visitation access to that vault since your eleventh birthday and as of your fifteenth birthday, you were granted full withdrawal access due to your position as Head of House Potter."

"I am sorry, Mister Snapshot. I was not aware of that vault or my status as Head of House Potter. It makes me wonder what else I am not aware of. My friend, Mr. Sothew, suggests I ask you about my parents' wills?" Harry said, trying to push down his anger. His older self put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. It helped him calm down as he watched Snapshot tap the parchment in front of him again. With a wave, he presented a thick roll of parchment.

"Shall I summarize?" Snapshot asked as Harry took the scroll. As he began to unroll it, he saw it was at least three feet of tiny, cramped writing. He winced and nodded at Snapshot.

"Please sir, but I would like a copy to study at my leisure," he said. The goblin nodded with a toothless smile.

"That is a copy you can have, Lord Potter. In summary, the will leaves everything to you save small bequests to various friends of your parents. It also lists those people who would be made your guardian should they die before you were of age. You implied you live with your aunt and that is a concern. Other than a small sum of money, Petunia Evans Dursley was not mentioned in the will. You were to be placed with either your godfather or your godmother. Unfortunately, neither was capable of taking you in."

"My godmother?" Harry asked incredulously. The goblin stared at him for a long moment and then nodded.

"Alice Longbottom. I assume you are aware that she currently resides in the longterm spell damage ward at St. Mungo's?" At Harry's negative shake of the head, Snapshot sneered again.

"Since Albus Dumbledore was assigned as your magical guardian, I can only assume he is the person keeping such things from you, Lord Potter. It might be wise for you to be quit of him," Snapshot said sharply. Harry sighed.

"The only way I can see that happening is if I can prove my godfather is innocent," Harry said with a grimace. Snapshot nodded.

"Mr. Black proved his innocence to his account manager but the ministry has decreed goblin truth serum inferior and refuses to accept our evidence on the matter. The only way to convince them to call off the dementors would be to catch Peter Pettigrew. Regardless, there is another way to sever ties with Dumbledore. As the Head of House Potter, you are allowed to apply for emancipation."

HJPHJPHJPHJPHJPHJP

Harry was busy filling in his emancipation application while his older self cooked them dinner. His mind was still reeling from the news he had received at the bank. A visit to his family vault had only added to the upheaval. He was lucky that Mr. Sothew had been able to direct him to certain items of interest or he would have been completely lost. The only things he had removed from the vault were his parents' wands, several of his mother's journals and the Potter Family grimoire.

"Here, eat up. I will finish the paperwork," Mr. Sothew said softly, pulling the parchment away and placing a bowl of what looked like stir-fry in front of him. Harry nodded his thanks and began to eat. He had more questions now than he did this morning and he was still seething with anger over the heavy handedness of the Headmaster, though in all honesty he was more hurt than angry. Was there anyone in his life that he could trust?

"Done. I will hand deliver it to the Department of Magical Contracts for you tomorrow. I think I can convince them to rush this through and keep it quiet," he said thoughtfully. Harry swallowed before he asked one of the questions he needed answered.

"Head of the House of Potter means what, exactly?"

"You handled yourself so well with Snapshot, I nearly forgot you are woefully ignorant of your rank in the wizarding world," his elder self said with a grin. Harry shrugged.

"I was trying to channel Hermione," he said and Mr. Sothew chuckled.

"She would be both pleased and shocked to hear that, I think. Bless the girl, she always did underestimate us. Granted, we underestimated ourselves most of the time. That is one of the things I want us to work on this year along with occulmancy. Part of Dumbledore's plan was to keep you humble despite your celebrity, but there is a big difference in simple humility and low self-esteem," he said seriously. Harry ducked his head, unwilling to meet his older self's eyes. There was a pause before Sothew continued.

"Head of House Potter means you're are the patriarch of the Potter Family line. In most families, that is pretty important but it does not carry the same weight of responsibility that it does for the Potters. We can trace our ancestry back to the founders of Wizarding Britain, so we are in essence wizarding nobility. The Potters are the last in the Gryfinddor line and as such, we hold a hereditary seat on the Wizengamot and we are an honorary member of the Hogwarts Board of Govenors."

That made Harry's head come up in surprise. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Once your emancipation goes through, you are entitled to attend all meetings of those bodies or to appoint a proxy. Though at this point, the only good reason to attend is so you have some idea of what is going on at both the ministry and at Hogwarts. Our votes will not be enough to evoke change until we have enough support to counter the pure blood agenda. The downside is that by claiming those positions, you will be publicly acknowledging your emancipation. I think we should keep that under wraps for a while, at least until we have the Prophet under control," Sothew said wryly. Harry silently agreed.

"Now, we need to discuss Voldemort. Or more specifically, the connection between you and Voldemort. Do you remember when Dumbledore explained how you could speak parseltongue?"

"He said it was because Voldemort transferred some of himself to me somehow, when he tried to kill me as a baby," Harry said, his fingers coming up to trace the scar on his forehead. There was a vague look of disgust his face.

"Looking back, I am surprised that he was so forthcoming. Of course he would never expect you to suspect exactly what that meant. Voldemort transferred a piece of his soul into you that night."

"His soul?" Harry asked in a low, distressed tone. The vague look of disgust changed to one of revulsion. Mr. Sothew nodded and proceeded to explain how a horcrux was created. When he told Harry that Voldemort had made seven of the terrible artifacts, himself being the unintentional seventh, Harry barely made it to the bathroom before his dinner came back up.

"I am sorry. I should have thought to explain this to you before dinner." Mr. Sothew said when Harry returned a few minutes later with pale features and red rimmed eyes. Harry shook his head.

"Its okay, I guess. I just...I realized that means he can't be killed. He has all those bits of insurance against death," Harry rasped out. He reached out and took a swig of his butterbeer to soothe his throat. Mr. Sothew waited until he had swallowed before speaking.

"Oh, he can be killed. We just have to destroy all the horcruxes first. Lucky for us, I know where all of them are," he said with grim smile. Harry nodded slowly and then his hand went to his scar, eyes wide.

"But that means...but you are still alive! If Voldemort was dead in your time, how come you aren't dead too? I thought you said I was a horcrux," Harry said accusingly. Mr. Sothew nodded.

"You are and I was. Before I explain what happened, let me tell you another secret that Dumbledore has been hiding from you. There is a prophecy, a real one like the one you overheard in third year about Wormtail. That prophecy was told before you were born and it was overheard by two people. Dumbledore heard the entire prophecy since he was interviewing Trelawney at the time but a certain greasy haired Death Eater also overheard the first part of the prophecy.

_"'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'" (excerpt from Order of the Phoenix)_

Harry swallowed convulsively, suddenly glad his stomach was mostly empty at the moment or he would have thrown up again.

"Does that mean it's him or me, in the end? And that mark..." he trailed off, tracing the scar on his forehead. He squinted at Mr. Sothew's forehead and could not see a blemish. Mr. Sothew waved his hand over the skin above his eyes and the scar faded into view.

"I use a layered glamour charm to hide it. And yes, that scar is what marks you as the child of prophecy. It could have applied to at least two children, but in the end Voldemort's decision to try and kill you first sealed the deal."

"Is the other kid okay? Since he attacked me first and his body got destroyed?" Harry asked tentatively. His older self sighed.

"Remember what the goblins said about Alice Longbottom?"

"That she was my godmother and she was at St. Mungo's...wait, does that mean the other kid was Neville?" Harry asked, aghast.

"Yes, he was. Voldemort decided to attack our family first but his followers knew he had planned to attack the Longbottoms as well and they went ahead with that plan. Frank and Alice Longbottom were Crucio'd into insanity before the aurors arrived."

"That's...awful."

"Yes, it is. Do me a favor and be a better friend to Neville. You'll be amazed how much that boy changes with a little friendly encouragement. You might try to convince him to talk his Gran into getting him a new wand, too. His dad's might be sentimental, but its a rubbish match for him."

"Yeah, I will."

"Oh, and Luna Lovegood. She's a Ravenclaw, one year below us. She is a little eccentric, but she's brilliant and kind. Her house mates pick on her quite a bit so she could use an ally or two. Just watch her around Hermione. Those two are like oil and water," Mr. Sothew said with a wry chuckle.

"Yeah, well, I can use all the allies I can get, so..."

"Exactly. Now, let's finish this conversation tomorrow. You'll want to finish your shopping spree early and get back to Privet Drive before the Order misses you."


	5. Picnic

Chapter Four - Picnic

A/N: Sorry about the wait! I've spent some time agonizing over what happens over the next few chapters, but I have decided to trust my muse. Dun Dun DUN! Be afraid. On a nicer note, you get a little bit of Fleur.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

Harry was dancing around his room to a Weird Sisters song on his new Wizarding Wireless. It was August 8th and he still had not seen hide nor hair of the Dursley's. He had free run of the house, no restrictions on his meals and no lists of chores to do. On top of that, his emancipation papers had been filed and as of yesterday, he was considered an adult in the wizarding world. Which meant he could do magic outside of Hogwarts.

A soft hoot from the open window, which had been charmed to cool the breeze coming into the room, drew his attention to Hedwig. She settled on the end of the bed and offered him a letter.

"Thanks, girl. Oh, its from Fleur!" He untied the letter and opened it, reading it as he pulled a couple of owl treats out of the tin on his desk for his familiar.

_Harry,_

_I would enjoy having lunch with you tomorrow. Meet me on the steps of Gringotts at 11. I can practice my English with you. As far as cuisine, perhaps one of the small cafes? I am sorry, but the Leaky Cauldron is not my favorite. _

_Yours most sincerely,_

_Fleur Delacour_

"Not a fan of pub fare, Ms. Delacour?" Harry said to himself with a grin. He remembered her disdain for the usual fare at Hogwarts. He tapped the letter against his chin for a moment and then had an idea. He slipped on his trainers and grabbed his new wallet before heading downstairs and out the front door. He ignored the muffled curse from the hidden Order member as he mounted the bicycle he had pulled out of the garden shed two days ago.

Harry was still shocked that Dumbledore had not sent him a letter regarding the Dursley's absence from Privet Drive. His minders were either very incompetent or Mr. Sothew had done something to keep them from noticing the lack of relatives. Other than two letters exchanged with Fleur and an official parchment from the Ministry about his emancipation, he had received no mail since his first visit to Diagon Alley.

Ten minutes later, Harry parked the bike in front of the local grocer and spent the next hour trying to decide what Fleur would enjoy eating. He was saved by the lady at the deli counter, who had some good ideas for a light lunch. Pleased with himself, he left the store with two bags on the handlebars of the bike. He was halfway home when he felt the chill go down his spine. It might have been a nice counter to the oppressive summer heat if not for the heavy sense of dread that accompanied it.

"Bloody Dementors!" he exclaimed as he stopped the bike and glanced around frantically. He saw two of them gliding towards him from the right. He was on a residential street and there were children playing not twenty feet away from him. He lifted his feet and began to pedal as fast as he could, aiming for the wooded area of the park two blocks over. He might be able to do magic outside school, but if he did that magic in front of muggles he would still get into trouble.

Harry heard the sound of children crying and the screech of tires behind him, signs that the Dementors were effecting the muggles even if they could not see them. His breath was coming out in puffs as the temperature plummeted and his mother's scream was pounding against his fragile mental shields. He did not have time to feel relief when he made it to the trees because a bony hand grabbed him from behind. The bike flew out from under him and his head snapped back, making him see stars.

"Expecto Patronum!" He barely registered the feminine voice through his panic as he hit he ground hard. He fought back the memory of his mother's death and Voldemort's dark laughter as the dementors fled from the silver glow of someone's patronus. He thought it might have been a large dog of some kind.

"Harry? Are you alright?" He rolled over with a groan and looked up at his savior. He blinked when all he saw was the head of a young woman with spiky pink hair and a worried frown on her face. She must have noticed something in his expression that made her grin wryly and hold open the front of her invisibility cloak. Reassured that he wasn't talking to a disembodied head, he nodded.

"I'm fine, thanks to you. Never thought I'd be so grateful to have Dumbledore's babysitter's around," he said with a weak smile. The woman winced and then reached out a hand to help him up.

"Name's Tonks. So you know about us, then? That'll tweak Dumbledore. He doesn't want you to know," she said with a wicked grin that told him she did not exactly agree with the headmaster's decision to keep him in the dark. That or she was just amused that he had one over on the old man.

"Kind of hard to miss, really. I've made it a point to be more observant these days and I'm not deaf. Might want to try a silencing charm if you want to go completely unnoticed," he said cheekily. He wasn't about to tell her he knew about the Order of the Phoenix. That would lead to questions about his source of information. Tonks nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, now that you know we're here to help you, maybe you could warn us before you decide to bike halfway across Surrey. Its a good thing I managed to tag your bike with a tracer charm, or you could be Dementor food right now," the young woman said in a scolding tone. It was Harry's turn to wince and he nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind," he muttered before looking for his bike. Lucky for him the bike was unharmed. Tonks helped him gather his groceries and he mounted up. Tonks sighed and pulled the cloak back over her head, muttering about how much she hated running. He took pity on her and pedaled slowly.

When he finally arrived home, he murmured a quiet invitation inside to Tonks. They both stepped into the kitchen to find a strange owl perched on the back of one of the dining room chairs.

"That's a Ministry owl," Tonks said in confusion. Harry was just as confused so he set down his bags and reached for the letter attached to the regal looking owl's leg. A quick read later and he was incredulous.

"But I didn't do any magic!" He felt a wave of panic akin to what he had felt half an hour ago with the dementors. He could not be expelled!

"What? Can I see that?" she asked, taking the notice of explusion from him. Her mouth turned down and she shook her head. "Don't worry about this. I'll straighten them out. I'm an auror, you see, so I'll have to fill out a report about the Dementor's anyway."

"Thanks, Tonks. Can I offer you some tea?" he asked, relieved. She shook her head.

"No, I need to get back outside. My shift is up in about twenty minutes, anyway, and I'll have to head to the Ministry for my real job. I'll get something to eat on the way in," she said with a smile. He nodded, actually a bit sad that she wouldn't be keeping him company. She must have noticed his melancholy, because she patted his shoulder.

"Cheer up, though, Harry. You'll be out of here in two days. Dumbledore thinks its safe to move you, so you'll be with your friends soon," she said cheerfully. Her revelation made him happy enough to whistle while he checked his purchases for damage. Other than a bit of cracked glass and some smushed cheese, his picnic fare seemed intact.

Harry spent the next few hours actually cleaning around the house. If he was going to be leaving in two days, he wanted to leave things in order. The last thing he needed was to give his aunt ammunition for their next meeting. If there ever was a next meeting. Now that he was emancipated, he really didn't have to come back to Privet Drive next year. He just had to get around Dumbledore somehow, not to mention he really did need a safe place to stay. Voldemort was still out there and unless something drastic happened this year, he would still need a safe hideaway for the summer.

When he went down to make himself dinner that night, he was thrilled to find another Ministry owl in the kitchen. That thrill was short-lived, however, because the new letter stated he was to have a hearing at the Ministry on Friday next in regards to his use of underage magic. Someone at the Ministry had it in for him, obviously, and they had not done their research either. As an emancipated minor, they could not penalize him for use of magic. It would be an open and shut case, but he would be forced to reveal his status to whomever was at the hearing. And knowing his luck, it would be all over the papers by the next morning.

"Time to send another letter to Mr. Sothew. He'll know what to do."

HJPHJPHJPHJP

"Dementors?!"

"Yeah. Crazy, I know. Auror Tonks said she would take care of it. I didn't even do any magic. I think they just want an excuse to make me look bad. Must be challenging to keep up the attention seeking nutter angle when I've been hiding out for a month," Harry said bitterly.

Harry and Fleur were sitting in a park in muggle London, a blanket spread on the ground with a light picnic lunch between them. Fleur had been delighted by his thoughtfulness and seemed to be savoring the selections of cheeses, cold cuts and jams he had bought.

"That is horrible, Harry. At least they will...how do you say? Ah, have no case," she said with a beautiful smile. He did his best not to stare at her, knowing from her letters that it made her uncomfortable to be constantly oogled. Though the reasons for the attention they attracted was different, he could relate. So he focused on the jam smeared baguette he was holding.

"That's true. So, enough about me. Are you enjoying your time at Gringotts? I mean, working with the goblins must be...different," he said, genuinely interested.

"Oui, it is very different. They are very rough? I do not know a good English word for them. No joy, all business. I am happy that Bill is there to help me. He makes me laugh," she said with a somewhat dreamy smile. Harry felt a slight pang of something dark and was surprised to realize it was jealousy. He squashed it down, knowing someone like Fleur Delacour would never see him in a romantic manner. He was hoping they could be friends, though.

"Yeah, all the Weasley's are great. So, curse breaking? Is that a fun job?" He asked and listened as Fleur spent the next several minutes talking about her job. It sounded really interesting but she confirmed his suspicions that runes and arithmancy were vital for that line of work. He was beginning to regret taking Ron's advice about classes in third year. He knew, with Hermione's help, he could have done pretty well in those classes.

"Oh, it is time for me to go! The goblins, they do not look well on tardiness. This was wonderful, Harry. So much better than the heavy food in the alley. Thank you. Write me and tell me how your hearing goes?" Fleur said, standing up from the blanket to brush away the crumbs. He stood with her and reached out to shake her hand. She pulled him into an embrace instead and he was shocked by the comforting strength in her thin arms. He drew back with a shy smile.

"I will. Have a good day, Fleur." She squeezed his shoulder once before she turned on the spot, no doubt apparating back to Diagon Alley. He grinned happily as he put up the food. Fifteen minutes later, he was walking through the Leaky Cauldron in his brown hooded cloak. He was meeting Mr. Sothew for a lesson in apparition today. He hoped to master that particular method of travel by tomorrow when the Order came to take him to his new summer hideaway, wherever that might be. It was marginally better than travel by Knight Bus, portkey or floo.

"Sirius' childhood home," Mr. Sothew told him later. "It is under the Fidelius Charm so I cannot share the address at the moment."

"Wait, wait, so the Weasleys are with Sirius, not the other way around?" he asked in surprise. Sothew nodded and Harry just sighed. Once again, he felt a flash of jealousy. His alter ego put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"You have every right to be angry for being isolated, Harry, but unfortunately it will do more harm than good. Focus on the good and try to let go of your anger. The occlumency will help with that. Having an organized mind will give you the tools you need to control your emotions."

"The good, huh? I suppose I have a lot of good things happening this summer so far. I finally have a little control over my own life. I've had two weeks Dursley free, I was able to make a new friend - you know, Fleur? And I'll see Sirius and my other friends in a day or two," he said, trying to lighten his own mood. Mr. Sothew patted him on the shoulder and smiled.

"That's the spirit. Trust me, there will be a few more good things this summer. I'd tell you but I want them to be a surprise," the older man said with a twinkle in his eyes. And with that, they turned their attention to apparition. Harry was disappointed that find that it would probably take more than one session for him to become adept at the skill.

"You have to be careful with apparition. If you lose focus, you can splinch yourself badly. That means leaving some part of your body behind, be it an eyebrow or an arm. I can fix any minor mishaps, but let's try to avoid them all together. Now, concentrate on the mat at the front door."

An hour later, Harry was exhausted but pleased. He could pop around Mr. Sothew's flat now, though his efforts were especially noisy. He had not splinched himself but he had managed to sprain his knee when he apparated a foot off the ground one time. It was a good thing Mr. Sothew was handy with a healing spell. While the spell did its work, Mr. Sothew had given him another occlumency lesson. His mental shields were weak at best, but he had made some progress. He was feeling very accomplished. Unfortunately that positive feeling crashed and burned when he stepped off the Knight Bus in Little Whinging at dusk.

"Bloody hell," Harry muttered as he climbed off the Knight Bus and saw a familiar car in the drive at 4 Privet Drive. Evidently his hope that he would not have to see the Dursleys again before he left was futile. One look at his aunt's face when he walked through the kitchen door told him the sentiment was mutual.

"Where have you been, boy?" she asked in a snappish tone.

"One of my teachers from school has been giving me some summer tutoring," he said quietly, not moving from his position just inside the door. He was suddenly glad that he had kept the house clean.

"Did he feed you as well?" the woman asked sharply. At Harry's nod, she relaxed. "Good. You can get up to your room and stay there for the rest of the night, then."

Not in the mood to argue, Harry made his way upstairs quickly. At the top of the stairs, he drew his wand and murmured a revealing spell he had learned from Hermione last term. He was relieved to find that Petunia was the only one home at the moment. He shut his door and hit it with a sealing charm before he flopped on the bed, turning on his wireless with a flick of his wand.

After sending Hedwig to Mr. Sothew with a note about Petunia's return, he settled down with his runes book. The more he read, the more he regretted not taking the subject at Hogwarts. It was a lot more interesting than Divination. He pulled out a roll of parchment and began practicing the basic rune sets. He was startled out of his careful scribing about an hour later when he heard his aunt screeching.

"Dudley is not here. Go away!"

A quick look out the front window showed a police car at the curb. Harry grinned and unsealed his door, moving out into the hallway to peer down the stairs towards the front door. His aunt was trying to force the door closed but the uniformed man was obviously stronger than her. Harry recognized the man as one of the men that checked the house every night.

"Hello, Harry," the man said, spying him on the stairs. Harry waved.

"Hello, Officer Brumley. She's telling the truth. Dudley and Uncle Vernon aren't here," he said with a half smile and a shrug. The officer nodded and looked back at Petunia.

"Mrs. Dursley, you'll need to come to the station with us to answer some questions about your son's whereabouts."

The ensuing screaming match was nearly epic and it was of no surprise to Harry when his aunt tried to insist that Harry had framed her son. The officer just sighed at that accusation.

"We have three eye witnesses, including one of your son's friends, Mrs. Dursley. Harry was not part of the altercation, though I imagine he has had his fair share of run ins with Dudley and his gang. Would you like to discuss the locks your nephew's bedroom door? Or the catflap?" the officer asked in a menacing tone. Petunia went white and shook her head.

"I'll get my purse," she said tersely and stormed up the stairs. Harry flattened himself against the wall as she stalked past him, her eyes filled with hatred. Years of experience kept him from flinching away from her but he still felt a pang of regret. He would never understand what could drive a person to treat their own flesh and blood like rubbish. Harry had witnessed what it was like to have a real, loving family during his time spent with the Weasleys. Granted they were far from perfect, but they never lacked for love.

"Harry? You been alright?"

"Yeah, okay," he said quietly. The officer nodded.

"I don't know if your aunt will be back tonight. Lock all the doors up tight and call us if you need anything, alright?"

"I will. Thanks," he said, giving the man a nod. He flattened himself against the wall again as Petunia marched back past him and down the stairs. He was quick to follow Officer Brumley's orders by locking the doors. After a quick check upstairs to see that Hedwig was back and settling in for a nap on her perch, he went back downstairs to make himself a sandwich. He was startled by a knock on the kitchen door.

"Hello, Harry. Can I come in?" Remus Lupin gave him a cautious smile.

"Professor Lupin? Um, sure," he said, stepping back to the man could walk into the kitchen. The old Marauder looked around curiously before turning back to Harry.

"I'm not your professor anymore, Harry, so you can just call me Remus, or Moony, if you'd rather," the werewolf said quietly. Harry heard the wistful tone in his voice, however, and nodded. His older self had told him that Remus Lupin was one of the few people he would trust with his, or more accurately their, life.

"Alright, Moony. Can I get you something? I was just making a sandwich," he said, pointing at the kitchen counter. Remus looked torn for a moment before he nodded.

"Sure. We can chat while we eat." The older man helped him made a few sandwiches and they settled at the table, neither eating as they looked at each other expectantly. Harry was pretty sure he knew why Moony was here, but he was going to let the man lead the conversation.

"So, what was that little scene with your aunt?" Moony finally asked, taking a large bite of his sandwich. Harry shrugged.

"Evidently Dudley beat up some poor kid and put him in the hospital. The police have been looking for him, but my aunt and uncle took him somewhere. Can't have Duddy-dinkums facing criminal charges, now can we?" Harry said with a grimace. Remus swallowed hard and stared at Harry for a long moment.

"Duddy-dinkums?" he asked finally, a smirk on his face. Harry shrugged with a wry grin.

"That's one of the tamer ones."

"Hmm...so you have no clue where they went?" Remus asked.

"Not a clue," Harry said with a shake of his head.

"I'll stick around tonight until your aunt gets home, if that's alright. I can catch you up on some news and maybe tell you something about your parents. Hermione said you don't know much," Remus said, looking sad about that. Harry nodded.

"I'd like that, Moony. Um, Hermione? Is she with the Weasleys and Sirius too?" he asked, trying not to feel betrayed. He was focusing on the positive and told himself the having time to spend with Mr. Sothew had been great. Moony reached over and put a hand on Harry's arm.

"I'm really sorry about the isolation, Harry. Dumbledore says it was for the best, but Sirius, Molly and I have been at him constantly to let you come to...well, where we all are. Or to at least let some of us visit. He was adamant that your relatives would be angry if we came by. I'm beginning to wonder if his policy to let the Dursley's dictate terms was a bad idea. The twins weren't exaggerating about the bars and the catflap in second year, were they?"

Harry looked down at his half eaten sandwich, a blush creeping up his face. Evidently Moony had heard that part of the conversation with the police and Aunt Petunia. He shook his head, refusing to elaborate on the state of things.

"Well, I'll have a discussion with Sirius and we'll have a chat with Dumbledore about things. You may be safer here, but that is no excuse for leaving you alone with people who take out their fear of the magical world on a child," Moony said darkly, patting this arm. Harry took another bite of his sandwich so he would not have to respond. They both ate in silence for a few moments.

"So, in our fourth year, we pulled this huge prank on all the teachers..." Moony started once they were done eating, sensing that Harry was not inclined to talk about anything serious. There would be time enough for that later.


	6. Friends and Family

Chapter Five

A/N: Many thanks to all my new followers! I hope you continue to enjoy this story as events unfold. My muse is a bit on the twisted side so consider yourself forewarned. Rest assured, I believe in HEA but the way will be paved with some angst. I would also like to thank all my reviewers! I apologize for not responding yet but I will do my best to go back and answer any questions posed in reviews that do not pertain to spoilers. Any mentions of typos, grammar or cultural whoopsies will be considered as constructive criticism and I will correct them if I have the time. I also had a comment or two about my chapter length. I am sorry, but they will stay between 3-5k words unless my muse gets wordy.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in, around or related to the Harry Potter Universe, nor do I plan on making a profit from my writing herein.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice was the first thing he heard clearly after Mad Eye and Remus wrestled the curtains shut on Walburga Black's portrait. Harry swore his ears were still ringing from her tirade about half bloods and blood traitors. If the portrait were true to life, he was not surprised Sirius ran away from home.

"Hey, 'Mione," he said, catching her as she practically flung herself at him from the bottom of the stairs. Her tight hug was welcome and he returned it.

"How are you? I can't believe they left you this long after what happened last term," she said in his ear. He pulled out of the hug and shrugged, ignoring the perfect opportunity to point out she was technically one of 'they' that had left him so long. He was still a little sore at his friends for shutting him out, but after some heart to heart chats with Mr. Sothew and some intense occlumency training he was learning to manage his anger. He was going to confront them, but right now he just wanted to enjoy being with people who really cared about him, despite their thoughtless behavior.

"I'm better than I thought I'd be. Got all my homework done, too," he said with a wry smile. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you can talk Ron into finishing his before the train ride back," she said. Harry chuckled.

"I wouldn't hold your breath, but I'll see what I can do."

"See what you can do about what?" Ron asked from halfway down the stairs. Harry gave his best mate a wave and was about to comment when a voice called from the other direction.

"Harry? That you?"

"Sirius!" Harry turned and literally ran into his godfather's arms. Harry was pleased to note the strength in Sirius' arms. He looked a far cry better than the gaunt escaped convict from third year. No doubt Molly Weasley had him on a strict diet of third helpings. When they pulled apart, Sirius ruffled his hair and grinned.

"Looking good, kiddo. The Dursley's treated you alright?" he asked, eyes searching over his godson looking for signs of mistreatment. Harry shrugged.

"Summer at Privet Drive was better than usual. Helps the relatives were gone for over a week hiding Dudley from the bobbies," he said in a conspiratorial whisper, hoping to lighten the mood. Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise.

"There's a story I have to hear after you catch up with your friends. Go on up," he said, pushing Harry towards the stairs. Harry smiled and joined Ron and Hermione on the way up the stairs. His smile faltered when he noticed the elf heads on the wall. Mr. Sothew had warned him about those but seeing them was still disturbing. Hermione followed his gaze and shuddered.

"Yeah, its disgusting. Nothing we've done to those or the portrait downstairs seems to work getting them down. Mrs. Weasley said its a permanent sticking charm," she said. Harry grimaced.

"Can't they just cut out that part of the wall? Surely there are charms to keep the house from caving in if its a supporting wall or something." He said. Hermione gaped at him for a moment before she blushed.

"Should have thought of that. I was too busy researching magical ways to do the actual deed, not get around it. Good thinking, Harry," she said brightly. Ron snorted softly.

"That's if we can get around the barmy house elf to do anything. You thought the portrait was bad, just wait 'til you meet Kreacher," Ron said darkly. Harry glanced sideways at Hermione, expecting her to protest Ron's bad mouthing the poor house elf. She was frowning, but she didn't say anything in defense of the house elf. That, more than Ron's comments, told him that Kreacher was to be avoided at all costs.

"We can ask Sirius about the wall later. It is his house. Now, tell us about your summer. Professor Lupin said your cousin was in trouble with the police?" Hermione steered the subject away from the controversial topic and Harry filled them in on his summer as they showed him the room he would be sharing with Ron. He left out Mr. Sothew and visits to London, but he told them about the Dursleys, his correspondence with Fleur, and the books he had ordered.

"Blimey, Harry! A whole week alone and you spend it studying?" the redhead said incredulously. Hermione frowned.

"That's the one thing you picked out of that conversation to comment on? Really Ronald?" she asked sharply. Ron blinked at her owlishly before he grinned and turned back to Harry.

"Fleur bloody Delacour? Way to go, mate!" Harry watched with amusement as Hermione picked up a pillow from the bed and began to pummel Ron with it.

"Mercy, Mercy," Ron cried though his laughter. Harry joined in after a moment, targeting Hermione in a show of support for his best mate. The three of them collapsed on the bed a few minutes later, laughing together.

"George, my dearest brother..."

"Yes, my intrepid twin?

"I do believe we've missed a prime opportunity..."

"To join in flufftastic warfare? Yes, t'would seem so."

Harry looked up to see Fred and George standing in the room at the foot of his bed.

"Hey guys." He was feeling lighter than he had in a long time, finally back amongst his friends and surrogate family. He saw Ginny peeking around the doorframe with a smile on her face. He waved at her and she took that as an invitation to join them in the room.

"Hi Harry," she said. He was impressed when she didn't blush, stutter or look gobsmacked. He grinned.

"Hey Ginny. How's things?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Bit boring, really. Maybe things will liven up with you around. They usually do," she said with a chuckle. He rolled his eyes.

"Not my fault. Evidently Fate just likes using me for target practice," he said wryly.

"Well, there's a solution for that, old boy." Fred said with a smirk.

"Yes, just give Fate a better target..." George continued.

"Or a bigger one. Perhaps Percy the Prat?"

"Yes, Fred, I do believe the Big Head Boy would do nicely."

"Percy still being an arse?" Harry asked quietly, earning himself a wallop with Hermione's pillow. He gave her a cheeky grin before he glanced back at the Weasley twins. They nodded solemnly but it was Ginny that elaborated.

"He is currently doing his best impression of a loyal house elf to Minister Fudge. Doesn't believe any of us about V-v-voldemort being back," Ginny said, stumbling a little over the name of the evil Dark Lord. Harry gave her an encouraging smile and then sighed.

"The Ministry is determined to stick its head in the sand and wants to drag the whole wizarding world with it. I was able to get my hand on a couple of Prophet's this summer so I know what they're saying," he said darkly. Hermione reached over and squeezed his hand. The rest of the group just looked grim.

"Speaking of the Ministry, I can't believe they are having that hearing. Tonks told us about the Dementors," Ginny said softly. Harry grimaced.

"Yeah, well, at least it should be quick. Tonks will testify I didn't cast any magic and they will have to let it go. I really want to know why two Dementors were wandering about Little Whinging, though. I thought they were controlled by the Ministry," he said. Hermione nodded.

"They are, but some of them sided with Voldemort during the first war. Maybe some of them have already defected to his side again," George said.

"Maybe. It will be interesting to watch them try to explain it. I just hope they don't try to say Tonks is lying about the whole thing," Harry said with a worried tone. Hermione grinned smugly.

"Well, that's the thing. Tonks is an Auror and they have to swear an oath not to falsify documents. She filed a report, so they will have that as evidence. If all else fails, she can ask them to verify her word under veritaserum," the witch said confidently. Harry nodded, relieved. Sometimes it was nice to have a self proclaimed know-it-all for a best friend.

"Well, that's good. I don't want them to lump her in with me and the headmaster. Two attention seeking nutters are quite enough, I think," he said wryly. Then he turned to Hermione with a somber expression. "Speaking of, why is it that the only news about the magical world I got this summer came from Fleur Delacour? And the first one of you that says because Dumbledore told me to will get their ears boxed."

"Well he...um, we thought it would be best not to burden you after, you know, that end of the third task," Hermione said hesitantly, a blush slowly creeping up her cheeks. Harry sighed.

"I thought you knew me better than that Hermione. I was freaking out not knowing what was going on. Top it off with, you know, the end of the third task! I just saw someone murdered, saw the bloody Dark Lord reborn...yes I've had a rough time of it. The nightmares alone are...well, awful. I could have used a little support, someone to talk to. Instead Dumbledore throws me back to the Dursley's and everyone just goes along with his 'isolate the Boy-Who-Lived' plan without question!" By the end of his rant, his voice was loud enough to be heard downstairs, as was evidenced by the sound of pounding feet on the stairs.

"What's going on in here?" Sirius asked from the door, his eyes narrowed as he glanced around the room. Remus and Tonks were right behind him in the hallway. Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He took a deep breath and tried to get his anger back under control.

"Sorry, Sirius. I just...I need to know why everyone thought I was better off dealing with the disaster from last term all by myself," he said in a quieter tone. Hermione looked like she was going to cry now and the Weasley's were all looking down at the floor, their ears almost as red as their hair.

"You had to stay, Harry. For the blood wards to work, I mean, with Voldemort back it was safest," Sirius said with a sigh of his own. Harry snorted.

"So, you couldn't visit me there? I know for a fact that some of you did visit Privet Drive to babysit me, but you still followed along with Dumbledore's 'leave him alone' edict. Do you know how lonely it gets in that house? The Dursley's think I'm a freak. I'll get no sympathy from them," he said bitterly.

"What do you mean they think you're a freak?" Sirius asked in confusion. Harry glanced up at his godfather and was surprised to see a look of genuine concern on his face. Harry shrugged and looked back down, picking at the old chenille bedspread. Sirius didn't say anything but he must have communicated to the rest of the room somehow because everyone else suddenly left. Sirius entered the room and sat down on the bed beside Harry.

"Moony told us he suspected the Dursley's didn't treat you right, Harry. Just how bad was it for you there? And please, don't be afraid to tell me. Some of the stories I could tell you about how my family treated me after my first year at Hogwarts were pretty awful. If I hadn't had your dad and Remus to talk to, I would have gone completely mad," Sirius said gently, reaching over to put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

And so Harry began to talk. At first he skimmed over things, but quiet prompting and surprisingly insightful questions from Sirius drew the full tale of abuse out of him. Mr. Sothew had helped him through a lot of his issues in the last two weeks as part of occlumency training. Since his older self had lived through the same treatment, he knew just how to help Harry deal with the backlog of shame and resentment. Knowing Sirius had some of the same issues made it easier to open up, too. Once he had run out of things to talk about, Sirius was quiet for a long moment before he spoke.

"You are right. Dumbledore might be the leader of the Order, but we are your friends and family. We should have demanded the right to be your support system after the Tri-Wizard. Instead we, I, let him dictate terms and leave you out in the cold. Never again, Harry, I promise. Even if you have to go back to the Dursleys, I swear I'll come with you as Padfoot if I have to. You won't be alone again," Sirius said in a ferocious tone, pulling Harry into a hug.

"Thank you, thank you." Harry said, letting himself cry two fat, salty tears of relief before he got himself under control. Mr. Sothew had told him it was alright to cry but he still had trouble letting go of his emotions after so many years of repressing them for his own protection. He leaned back and sighed.

"I suppose I should apologize to everyone," he said contritely. Sirius clapped him on the shoulder and shook his head.

"No, Harry, you were right. We let Dumbledore dictate too much around here. He's a great wizard and we need him to lead the Order, but he does not have the right to govern our lives." He said firmly. Harry looked up at his godfather and saw the sincerity in the man's eyes. Mr. Sothew had advised him to confide in Sirius about some things and Harry was inclined to agree with him. So he picked up his wand and threw a locking charm and a silencio at the door. He ignored Sirius' shocked look at his casual use of 'underage' magic.

"Sirius, I know about the prophecy."

The resulting conversation was enlightening to say the least. Mr. Sothew had never been sure if his parents had told Sirius the prophecy and Harry now knew that Sirius would have told him if they had. His godfather had been shocked to silence at first but then he had been angry. Angry enough that his scream of frustration would have brought everyone in the house running if Harry had not silenced the door. Harry did not mention Mr. Sothew, but he told Sirius that he had sneaked out of the house to visit Gringott's and that he was now emancipated. More screaming ensued when Harry told him about Dumbledore's underhanded use of his trust vault.

"I would be okay with it if he had made sure at least some of the money got spent on me." Harry told him sourly. Sirius shook his head.

"Just the fact that he was forging the documents to the goblins is enough to tell you what he did was wrong. The fact that he was taking money for himself, too, is beyond the pale," Sirius growled. Harry put a hand on his godfather's arm.

"I know, Sirius, and I plan on confronting him at some point about it, but now is not the time. The war..." he trailed off with a shudder. Sirius wrapped him up an a bear hug.

"I can't believe that prophecy. Its just...I can't lose you, Harry. I've lost too many people already," Sirius said in a choked voice. Harry sighed.

"Yeah, it sucks. But I've gotten serious about training and picked up a few books to help me. I really need to master occlumency first though, so I can keep Tom Riddle out of my head," Harry said morosely. Sirius pulled away and nodded.

"I know enough to help with that. Every Black is taught occlumency from the cradle," Sirius said with a grin. Harry looked up in surprise. Mr. Sothew had not mentioned that Sirius was an occlumens. Did that mean he did not know? Mr. Sothew had mentioned in passing that Sirius had not survived the war but had refused to say anything more on the subject.

"That would be great, Sirius," he said with a grin that was more than a little forced. He made a silent vow to do his damnedest to keep Sirius alive through this war.

"We'll worry about that later. Tonight is your birthday party and we could need an excuse to celebrate something. Time enough to get morose after a good night's sleep," Sirius said and gestured at the door. Harry took the hint and dropped the charms on the door. The sound of Molly Weasley screaming was immediate and both men cringed.

"Sounds like we're in for it," Harry said jokingly. Sirius did not laugh. Instead he stood up and marched to the door, jerking it open. Mrs. Weasley stood there, several of her children arrayed behind her with embarrassed expressions, her face red and her fists resting on her hips.

"Is there a reason you're yelling at my godson's door while we're having a conversation, Molly?" Sirius asked calmly. Molly glared at him.

"You've been in there for over an hour. Dinner has been ready for half an hour," she blustered. Sirius folded his arms over his chest.

"I was talking with my godson. We had a lot of things to catch up on," Sirius said tersely. Molly stared at him for almost a minute, her chest heaving but Sirius did not look away. Harry was sure she was fighting the urge to demand to know what was so important that the door had been locked and silenced. She finally deflated and grimaced.

"Well, fine. Get down to dinner now. Everyone is waiting," she said sharply before turning and heading back down the stairs. The rest of the crowd in the hall took one look at Sirius and turned to follow her. Harry moved up behind Sirius.

"What was that all about?" he asked quietly. Sirius sighed.

"Take no offense, Harry, but Molly and I have trouble seeing eye to eye on a lot of things. She's afraid I'm going to tell you all about the Order and she thinks you are too young. Make no mistake, she's decided you are one of hers and she's determined to mother you just like the rest of her brood," Sirius said with a sigh.

"Ah, well, you'll be telling the truth when she asks if you said anything to me. I already knew. I really don't mind the mothering very much. Didn't get any growing up, you know?" He said with a sad smile. Sirius wrapped an arm around his shoulders and they made their way down the stairs.

"Yes well, I happen to be your godfather, so I should get first dibs on parenting decisions," Sirius said in a whining tone. Harry chuckled.

"Don't worry, Padfoot. If I need advice on sex, pranks or motorbikes you'll be the first one I come to," Harry said. Sirius snorted.

"Good thing. Molly's response to all three would be don't, don't and Don't you dare!"

The sound of Harry and Sirius' laughter proceeded them into the dining room and it set the tone for the rest of the evening. Even Molly Weasley settled for shooting the occasional glare at Sirius between trying to stuff Harry like a Christmas goose. He was lucky he had room left for cake after dinner. Most of his gifts had been owled to him on July 31st but he did get a journal from Sirius and Remus. The note inside the front cover explained it was for him to start recording his more memorable exploits and any spells he thought were important to pass down to the next generation. The post script was a note to remember to set a password. Sirius had winked at him when he looked up from reading the note so he guessed there was more to the gift then blank paper.

After cake, they all retired to the parlour and Harry told the adults about the Dursley's summer adventure before he yawned one too many times and was sent up to his room to get some sleep. Not that he minded. A tap of his wand on the first blank page of the journal and a whispered 'I solemly swear I am up to no good' revealed several pages of neatly written notes. He didn't have time to do more than skim the pages before Ron joined him, but he fell asleep with a grin on his face and instructions on how to become an animagus tucked safely under this pillow.

HJPHJPHJPHJPHJP

Harry woke up a few days later on the morning of his hearing with a sense of dread. Despite everyone's reassurance that it was an open and shut case, Mr. Sothew had told him enough about Minister Fudge and his undersecretary Dolores Umbridge to make him wary. He had not gone into too many details, stating he would let him know if it became necessary. When Harry noticed Hedwig was perched on the end of the bed with a note attached to her leg, he wondered if some of the details had become necessary since the last time he had visited his older self just two nights ago.

_Harry,_

_I suggest you arrive at least an hour early at the Ministry. Also, ask Sirius about your rights as the Head of House Potter in regards to the Wizengamot. Wear your ring today. I don't think you will need it, but it is always better to have a back up plan._

_Speaking of rings, I will be making a trip this morning to Tom's family home, maternal side, to retrieve a certain hallow. Wish me luck. Please bring the locket with you for our next lesson and we will have take care of both of them._

_Sincerely ours,_

_Mr. Sothew_

Harry frowned at the news and wondered why Mr. Sothew was going after the ring by himself. He knew Dumbledore had done the same thing and had ended up with a fatal curse because of it. Then again, his alter ego had assured him that he was aware of all of Tom's traps and could bypass them without too much trouble. Harry decided he had enough to worry about with his hearing today and put it out of his mind.

Careful not to wake the snoring Ron, Harry gathered his things quietly and left the room. After taking a shower and pulling on one of the nicer robes he had bought for himself at Diagon Alley last week, Harry went downstairs to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was already up fixing breakfast. Arthur Weasley was sitting in front of a large plate of breakfast with the Daily Prophet in front of him. Harry murmured a greeting.

"Good morning, Harry. Here, have a good breakfast," Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully. She dropped a plate full of eggs, bacon and toast in front of him. Harry dug in after a quiet thank you.

"Anything interesting in the paper?" Harry asked curiously between pieces of toast. Mr. Weasley actually bent the top of the paper down so Harry could read the headline. BOY-WHO-LIVED ON TRIAL FOR UNDERAGE MAGIC USE. Harry rolled his eyes but Mr. Weasley chuckled.

"I was surprised, actually. The article is fairly accurate and not bent towards the Ministry for once. The reporter even questions whether or not you might be telling the truth about You-Know-Who, though he is subtle about it. It is rare to see an article in the Prophet that isn't propaganda approved by the Minister," Arthur said with a wry smile. Harry grinned.

"Maybe the Prophet has a new Editor-in-Chief," he suggested before crunching into his bacon. He knew Mr. Sothew had finalized the buyout of the newspaper two days ago. His meeting with the newspaper staff must have gone well. He couldn't wait to talk with his alter ego tomorrow night.

Harry was still going to Mr. Sothew's flat every two days, or nights as it were. He would sneak down to the parlor once everyone was asleep and portkey over. He returned by floo a few seconds later so he wouldn't be missed. Mr. Sothew had somehow managed to get ahold of a regular time turner like the one Hermione had in third year. Harry had been relieved when he hadn't been forced to give up their lessons just because he was at Grimmauld Place. He was making leaps and bounds on his occlumency.

"Actually, no. There was a small notice in yesterday's paper about a rather large turnover in staff, but old Barnaby Cuff is still in charge from what I hear."

"Hmm..." Harry said as he began to eat in earnest. He was almost done when Mr. Weasley finally put down his paper and gave Harry his full attention.

"Already dressed, I see. Good lad. We can head in early if you like. I need to drop something off in my office and then I'll escort you down to the courtrooms," Arthur said with a smile.

"Thanks Mr. Weasley. Maybe you can give me a little tour before the hearing or something. I just need to talk to Sirius before we leave," Harry said, polishing off his last bite of bacon. He heard Mrs. Weasley huff softly but decided to ignore it.

"Breakfast was great, Mrs. Weasley. Thanks," he said over his shoulder as he bolted up the stairs looking for his godfather. It didn't occur to him until he was on the third floor landing that he didn't know what room Sirius was in. He vaguely remembered someone pointing out Remus' room, though.

"His room is the one next to mine. You'll have to do something drastic to wake him up. He is not a morning person," Remus said with a chuckle. He had been up already, reading, so Harry didn't feel guilty about waking him. Thanking the man for the advice, Harry went next door and knocked a few times. When that didn't work, he tried the door. Finding it open, he stepped into the room and cried out when he was swung about and trussed up so fast his head spun. He ended up suspended from the ceiling over Sirius' bed. He glared down at his godfather, who was grinning sleepily up at him.

"Morning Harry. Guess I forgot to warn you about my security system. Designed to thwart a certain pair of red heads from using me as a test subject for their pranks," Sirius said through a yawn. The man reached for his wand and flicked it in a complicated pattern. Harry bounced onto the bed beside his godfather when the ropes disappeared.

"Clever, Padfoot," Harry said with a wry grin. He could not fault Sirius for setting a trap for the twins. He might have to do the same for his own room. They might not target him but he was certain Ron had been and would continue to be a favorite target for Fred and George.

"Thanks. I'll show you how to do that one sometime if you promise not to show it to the twins. Marauders have to keep some secrets," Sirius said with a grin. Mention of the Marauders made Harry's eyes narrow.

"Does Moony know about your early warning system?" He asked slowly. Sirius chuckled.

"Sent you in here, did he? He helped me set it up last night before bed," Sirius said. Harry made a mental note to ask the twins for help pranking Remus later. He had more important things to do this morning.

"Pranking aside, I was wondering about something," Harry started, sitting up on the bed and trying to straighten his robes. Sirius propped himself up against the headboard and looked properly attentive. Harry held up his hand, on which was the Potter Family signet ring. "Can this help me out of a tight spot if things go sideways this morning?"

"Well, I honestly didn't consider that. It might save you having to admit to filing your emancipation paperwork if things go sour. As a Head of House with no heir, they cannot snap your wand or expel you. The worst they can do is fine you," Sirius said with a smirk. Harry sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Sirius. The wizarding world might be completely barmy, but I do love magic," Harry said sincerely. Sirius gave him a one armed hug before he shooed him off the bed.

"Good, and speaking of magic I need to talk to you about the animagus notes before you go back to Hogwarts. There are some things you better not try without me or Remus there to help you," Sirius said quietly. It had been the first time in three days that they had been truly alone. Harry suspected a conspiracy on the part of Mrs. Weasley and was starting to get a little frustrated with the Weasley matron.

"We will find the time to talk, even if we have to barricade ourselves into your mum's bedroom with Buckbeak," Harry said with a nod. Sirius grinned.

"Sounds like a plan, Harry. Now get out. I need my beauty sleep."


End file.
